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James “Big Jim” Thompson was the longest-serving governor of Illinois from 1977 to 1991. He reintroduced the death penalty to Illinois during his first year and became known for being tough on crime. He did not show much support for education or human services. “He was national co-chair of the Campaign to Protect Our Children in 1986 and a member of the National Commission to Prevent Infant Mortality from 1987 to 1988. He also served as vice-chair of the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commission.” He did support construction. Thompson wanted to build the area up and approved of the Art-in-Architecture Program. His image was a casual one. He traveled and met constituents in casual clothes. 

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Herb Caen, often referred to as "Mr. San Francisco" was a beloved author and daily columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle for almost 60 years until his death in 1997. His columns combined news, gossip, word play, and love for the city of San Francisco, making him a household name in the Bay Area. In 1996, Caen won a special Pulitzer prize for his ''continuing contribution as a voice and a conscience of his city.” Herb Caen never ran for president.

The San Francisco Chronicle issued this joke promotional button for the Democratic Convention that was held in San Francisco in 1984. Even though Caen never ran, his influence is still eminent as the Chronicle still periodically reprints his columns.

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Henry Ross Perot was an American businessman and philanthropist who ran as an independent candidate for the office of U.S. President in 1992 and 1996. Perot ran a nontraditional campaign, focusing on 30-minute infomercial-style advertisements. Spending around $65 million of his personal fortune, Perot won 19 percent of the popular vote in the November '92 election. Perot went on to found the Reform Party in 1995, faced off against Clinton for the presidency again in 1996, and published Ross Perot: My Life & The Principles for Success to support his platform. Perot died in July, 2019.

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The Young Republicans National Federation (YRNF) held the 1975 convention in Indianapolis July 4th. The YRNF is an organization founded in 1931 to gather young republicans interested in learning about and advocating conservative values. In a letter from President Gerald R. Ford in February of 1975, he expressed his pleasure for the strength of the YRNF upholding conservative values and educating young republicans. Six months later, the convention brought together members of the YRNF and agreed upon several points: No endorsement for either Ford or Reagan in the 1976 election, Ford was the preferred candidate, and Reagan’s popularity would likely grow and the YRNF would have to re-discuss endorsing a Republican candidate.

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George H. W. Bush was born on June 12th, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts. When he was young, Bush fought in World War II in the Navy and flew 58 combat missions. He married Barbara in 1945 and had six children.

From 1967 to 1971, Bush served as a Representative from Texas. He became an Ambassador to the United Nations for the U.S. from 1971 to 1973, the Director of the CIA from 1976 to 1977, Vice President from 1981 to 1989, and the 41st President of the United States from 1989 to 1993. 

Bush did not believe in the U.S. interfering with the structure of the new nations forming during his time as president. His efforts went into protecting the Panama canal and dealing with President Saddam Hussein of Iraq invading Kuwait. Both times, Bush sent in American troops to intervene. Bush campaigned for a second term, but lost to Bill Clinton. He died at the age of 94 on November 30th, 2018.

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Eric L. Lundgaard has served as a councilman for Boulder City, Nevada, from 1985 to 1997. He was also elected mayor for two terms during the 1990s. During his time in office, Lundgaard emphasized fiscal responsibility and attempted to reduce excessive city spending. He was also a proponent of directing revenue toward infrastructure improvements in Boulder City. As of 2009, he has served as president of the Aquarian Theosophy Foundation—a small organization dedicated to studies of consciousness. After receiving a “blessing from Consciousness” and making several trips to India, Lundgaard claims to have the "ability to identify rays of consciousness in individuals”.

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Thomas E. Dewey was a Republican and the governor of New York from 1942 to 1950. In 1944, in the middle of his first term as governor, he ran for president with John W. Bricker as his running mate. Dewey lost to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Dewey ran again in 1948 during his second term as governor, but lost to Harry Truman. During his time as governor, he disbanded employment discrimination and advanced disability benefits. 

John W. Bricker was the running mate of Dewey in 1944. He was the U.S. State Attorney General from 1933 to 1937, then Governor of Ohio from 1938 to 1946. and finally Senator of Ohio from 1946 to 1958. He disagreed with the power the president has when it comes to international affairs and attempted many times to pass amendments to limit it. He also was a Republican, favoring isolationist views and opposing communism. 

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Vice President Dan Quayle gave a speech on May 19, 1992 that was titled Reflection on Urban America, but became widely known as the “Murphy Brown" speech. The speech came after the Los Angeles riots, which began after a jury acquitted four police officers of excessive force in the arrest of Rodney King. Quayle reflected that the unrest and poverty in the United States was linked to the breakdown of the family unit. He specifically referenced Murphy Brown, a popular TV show character of the time depicted as an intelligent journalist and single mother, in a negative fashion. Reactions both in favor of and against the message of the speech poured in from the American people afterwards. Many public figures and newspapers at the time reproached Quayle for condemning single mothers. The speech had long lasting effects for nearly a decade as people continued to lament the deterioration of the family unit. The reference to call someone "a mother" in this way is an inference to a swear word.

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Jimmy Carter was Georgia’s Governor from 1971-1975 before running for president in 1976. Though he was unknown and an underdog, Carter campaigned hard and was able to secure the Iowa Caucus, earning himself many supporters, media attention, and the Democratic nomination. He selected Walter Mondale, a Senator representing Minnesota from 1964-1975 to be his running-mate and vice president. Carter’s campaign buttons were uniquely green instead of the typical red white and blue—this was in homage to his history as a peanut farmer. Carter and Mondale won the 1976 election and served four years in office. They campaigned together again in 1980, but were defeated by Republican candidate Ronald Reagan.